But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
I Peter 2:9
The people of God. Sometimes, it seems we have lost the value of this expression of our identity. Someone recently commented that “people of God” seems to be a very generic description of Christians. But I argue against this statement as mere generalization, for to be the people of God represents such an amazing work of God’s mercy in our lives. Generic? Hardly. To return to the value of our identity as “people of God,” there are several significant facts to remember.
- First, we belong to God in that we are a chosen people (race). In Biblical theology, Israel’s deliverance from Babylonian points forward to the ultimate deliverance by our Lord, Jesus Christ: delivering us from darkness into light, and forming us into a chosen redeemed race (“chosen”, as truly belonging to God). Revelation 5:9 gives this new reality, as every tribe, kindred, tongue, and nation represent those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb – the death, sacrifice, and atonement of sin for mankind through Jesus Christ. We are indeed a chosen people through the rich mercies of our God in Christ our Lord.
- Second, we belong to God in that we are a royal priesthood. Peter references the priesthood of believers as royal, for the priesthood knows their king, they have direct access to their king, and thus owe the king their priestly service. As representing God to the world, Christians, are mediating God in Christ to the nations. Therefore, rightly related to God, the priesthood of believers leads people to Jesus Christ.
- Third, we belong to God in that we are a holy nation. This refers to the calling of God’s people as set apart unto Him. Everyone has their country of residence. But YOU are also a holy nation unto God. When Jesus said, render to Caesar’s what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s (Mark 12:17), this presented for first century Christians the ongoing challenge of determining which is which. The self-understanding of the early church as a holy nation was attested by the force brought against them from the Roman state. Today, under the modern ideology of separation of church and state, determining what belongs to “Caesar” and what belongs to God may not seem as challenging. But, as governments formulate policies directly bearing on moral and ethical issues, Christians must continue to resolve the tension of citizenship between the country of residence and living in the Holy nation of God.
- Fourth, we belong to God in that we are God’s own possession. Belonging to God. What an amazing identity – delivered from darkness and unto God so that those redeemed might display the power, grace, and mercy of God. For, the conclusion is clear: “we were not a people, but now a people of God; once we had not received mercy, but now we have received mercy” (I Peter 2:10). We belong to God, not to boast in our role as the progeny of God, but for the praise of God’s goodness. We are His not because we are good, we are His because He is good!
We are the people of God, for we belong to Him. Today, rejoice in the fact that in Christ you belong fully to God.
Blessings.
